[News] Verizon starts spying on its customers

[StyM]

http://www.fudzilla.com/news/43262-v...g-on-customers

Within days of Congress repealing online privacy protections, Verizon is installing software on customers? devices to track what apps customers have downloaded.

Verizon is using this spyware to serve up ads based on which your browse and whatever else you have used the internet for.

Dubbed ?AppFlash Verizon will be rolling out to their subscribers? Android devices ?in the coming weeks?.

According to Verizon, the app will collect information about your device and your use of the AppFlash services.

?This information includes your mobile number, device identifiers, device type and operating system, and information about the AppFlash features and services you use and your interactions with them. We also access information about the list of
apps you have on your device.?

Verizon will also track where you go and monitor your every move and any contact information you store on your device.

?AppFlash information may be shared within the Verizon family of companies, including companies like AOL who may use it to help provide more relevant advertising within the AppFlash experiences and in other places, including non-Verizon sites, services and devices.?

So it looks like less than 48 hours after the US government sold your personal data to companies like Comcast and AT&T Verizon has started installing spyware into your mobile to make money off your personal data.

What is surprising is the overt nature of the move. It is not as if they are even trying to pretend that it is somehow good for customers, it is just a straight-out data theft which has been made legal by the Republicans.

Of course, the good thing about the app is that it creates a brilliant attack vector for hackers and government spooks. It is unlikely to be the most secure thing in the software mountain and given all the data it is collecting it is an obvious target.

[Sparky]

This is where I get annoyed.

Being Republican should mean a generally "hands off" approach on business because the government controlling businesses via extreme regulation like the Democrats love to do drives away business, messes with the economy, etc. But, at the same time, there has to be SOME measure of regulation and rules because - despite what some may say - people are generally not "good" but "bad" and the love of money, well...

On the one hand, you have people/businesses snooping.
On the other hand, you have the government snooping.

Can't say I like either one of them!

As a Republican I get mad at the guys who sell out.

Good thing is at least on my end I can block it easily enough. I can't effectively switch services though because others just don't have signal at my house or work. Bleh. But not everyone will know how to go into the Android settings and disable permissions.

[zanzabar]

VZW had a full install of carrier IQ and then went to rooted dt ignite. this is nothing new. the gps tracking is especially not new, with how towers work your phone service knows exactly where the phone is at all times you have service and sometimes when you dont but are close to getting in range of service.